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In 2010 there were there were the equivalent of 41,160 full-time community nurses - but that fell by 13.9 per cent to just 35,432 in 2017.

Janet Davies, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “These figures are a stark warning about the state of community nursing across England.

(Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

“More patients should be treated at home or locally and yet community nurse numbers are dwindling.

“Their role in caring for some of the most vulnerable in society cannot be underestimated.

“Crude cost-cutting and constant re-tendering of contracts has led to a reduction in specialist community nurses. Excessive workloads and poor pay makes it difficult to maintain and attract new staff, too.

“Patients will continue to lose out unless the government gives the NHS and community services the funding for expert community nurses.”

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Dr Richard Vautrey, GP committee chair for the British Medical Association, said: “Community nurses provide really valuable healthcare services both working with practices, supporting the work of GPs and their teams, and out in the local area in people’s homes.

Nurses (Image: Guy Harrop)

“Any reduction in their numbers is a big concern, not only for its potential knock-on effect for practices already struggling with unmanageable workloads, but particularly for those patients who depend on their support to help manage their conditions at home and avoid visiting hospitals.

“As more people are managed in the community, investment must ensure a more resilient workforce in and around the practice.”

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Health and social care minister Caroline Dinenage said: “To meet the unprecedented demographic challenges and the complex needs of delivering care closer to and within people’s home, there is an urgent requirement to increase numbers, capability and image to transform community services.

“As a first step, Health Education England with NHS England and partners will be embarking on a comprehensive review of the current range of community-based nursing qualifications.”